Less-than-healthy Voracek has exacerbated Flyers' struggles

The Flyers’ Jakub Voracek, right, battles for the puck with Vancouver’s Ryan Kesler, during an Oct. 15 win for the Canucks. An injury in the preseason has slowed down Voracek, who was one of the team’s offensive stars last season. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

VOORHEES, N.J. — Jake Voracek feels a bit torn these days. Like many of his Flyers teammates, he’s hoping the week-long, built-in break between scheduled games that ends Thursday against the Rangers will help heal both his body and his psyche.

Unlike most of his teammates, Voracek has had to deal more with his physical woes than his confidence concerns. They’re there just the same.

“I’m not saying I’m not 100 percent,” Voracek said after a long and hard practice at the Skate Zone Monday. “I’m just saying I don’t think I’m playing as good as I played in the preseason.”

Voracek, this team’s reigning go-to scorer, seemed just fine until the Flyers hosted the Devils in a preseason game Sept. 24 at Wells Fargo Center. He went flying down the right side of the ice on what could have turned into a breakaway. But then Devils defender Bryce Salvador dove across with his stick and took Voracek’s skates from out under him.

The winger who registered 46 points (22 goals, 24 assists) in 48 games last season tripped and slammed back-first into the far post. He was immediately awarded a penalty shot, and couldn’t muster much power when he tried to go to his backhand. Voracek would miss the next three games with a lower back injury, and more than a week of practices.

It’s clear the layoff set him back. Through the season’s first eight games, Voracek has no goals and three points, which has factored into the club’s 1-7 stumble-start.

“I’ve tried to work as hard as possible to get back, but I don’t think I’m playing the way I was playing in the preseason,” Voracek said. “Let’s put it that way: I hope I’m not 100 percent, because that would be pretty sad, you know?

“I don’t want to make excuses that I got hurt in the preseason because someone could say (it’s why) I don’t have a goal yet. Obviously I can be way better. I have three secondary assists in eight games. Everybody would have higher expectations. But I’m trying to get to that level where I was in the preseason and I think these seven days (off) will help me, as well.”

After a weekend off, the Flyers, who haven’t played since a loss to Pittsburgh Thursday, got back to work Monday for three straight days of practices and conditioning skates. They don’t think extra work is going to automatically cure all their scoring problems. They do think it might make a bit of difference in a season in which they entered the third period of all eight games either ahead, tied or down by only a goal.

“It’s hard to say if we came out (to start the season) unprepared,” Voracek said. “I wouldn’t say so, but maybe we did and maybe we didn’t. But obviously we’re skating a lot in practices which I think is a good thing. It’s only going to help us out.”

A healthier Voracek might help take some of the pressure off, too.

“I’m sure I’m going to feel better on Thursday,” he said. “I don’t want to make any excuses that I was hurt in the preseason. By now I should be able to make a difference in our games. I’m feeling better every day. I’m working hard in practice every day. Now we have a week off and I’ll try to get some workouts in and get better off and on the ice, try to get that (first) goal and help us win.”

Voracek said the preseason injury, “kind of slowed me down. But by now I should have been on a level where I can make a difference in a game, which I didn’t in the last couple of games. So it’s not an excuse and I’ll try to work to get better.”

Almost all Flyers took a team trip to the stadium complex Sunday, first to work out at the WFC, then to work some fans’ hands while taking in the Eagles game across the parking lot.

Said Braydon Coburn, apparently seriously: “I was enjoying being there. When you’re out in Philadelphia everybody is so nice. Everyone had kind words. ... honestly.”

At an Eagles game. With fans who spent the morning tailgating. Sure.

“Somebody tweeted a pretty funny tweet,” he said. “It was, ‘Eagles know the Flyers have been at the game so that’s why they don’t score.’

“It was sad at that time but you have to laugh at it because obviously we all know 1-7 with 11 goals scored is not good enough.”

Injured regulars Scott Hartnell and Vinny Lecavalier have skated the past couple of days. Hartnell is still likely a week or so away, but Lecavalier is getting close to returning. While there remains optimism he can play Thursday, coach Craig Berube seems to be putting a thumbs down on that wishful agenda. “I’m not sure of the benefit of that,” Berube said. “I want to make sure they’re 100 percent ready to go.”